Capsulated medical equipment

ABSTRACT

A capsulated body having a facility, which acquires biomedical information through endoscopic examination or the like, incorporated therein is inserted into a duct within a living body. Whether the capsulated body has halted for a certain period of time is detected from the time-varying position of the capsulated body or a time-passing change in an image. If it is judged that the capsulated body has halted at a stenosed region or the like, the fact is notified so that the capsulated body can be collected immediately.

The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/436,787 filed May 18, 2006, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/134,009 filed Apr.26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,284 which claims the benefits ofJapanese Application No. 2001-318436, filed on Oct. 16, 2001 and thecontents of each of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to capsulated medical equipment that isshaped like a capsule and that moves within a body cavity to performexamination or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, endoscopes and other medical equipment have beenproposed for examining an intracavitary region or the like. Moreover,ordinary endoscopes are such that an insertion unit alone is insertedinto a body cavity in order to perform endoscopic examination or thelike. Medical equipment including a capsulated body that is shaped likea capsule and inserted into a body cavity in order to performexamination or the like has been disclosed in, for example, JapaneseUnexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-91860.

In this type of capsulated medical equipment, the capsulated body maypresumably be clogged at a stenosed region within a body cavity. If thecapsulated body is clogged, it must be collected as soon as possible.

However, the related art described in the foregoing publication has notdisclosed a countermeasure permitting early-stage detection of theclogged state of the capsulated body.

Moreover, a publication No. WO99/30610 of an unexamined internationalapplication under PCT discloses a related art that detects whether theacceleration in an axial direction is equal to or smaller than apredetermined value. If the acceleration is equal to or small than thepredetermined value, a powering unit is disconnected for fear redundantimage data may be acquired.

The above related art does not detect the clogged state of thecapsulated body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide capsulated medicalequipment making it possible to detect whether a capsulated body isclogged at a stenosed region in a body cavity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide capsulated medicalequipment making it possible to take appropriate measures in an earlystage in case a capsulated body is clogged at a stenosed region in abody cavity.

Capsulated medical equipment in accordance with the present inventionconsists mainly of a capsulated body and a sensor unit. The capsulatedbody is inserted into a living body and passed through a duct within theliving body, and includes a biomedical information detection unit thatdetects at least biomedical information. The sensor unit senses whetherthe capsulated body has halted in the duct within the living body for acertain period of time. If the capsulated body has halted in the ductwithin the living body, the state is sensed and the capsulated body isimmediately collected or any other measures are taken immediately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A to FIG. 9 are concerned with the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 1A shows the configuration of a capsulated endoscope system that isthe first embodiment of capsulated medical equipment in accordance withthe present invention in a practical state;

FIG. 1B shows a personal computer that is connected to an extracorporealunit and that presents images or the like;

FIG. 2A shows the internal configuration of an encapsulated endoscope;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of theencapsulated endoscope;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of theextracorporeal unit;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram concerning the principles of positioncalculation to be performed by a position calculation circuit;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the actions to be performed by thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an extracorporealunit included in a variant;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart describing the actions to be performed by thevariant;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram concerning a facility for detecting afluid leakage;

FIG. 9 shows a capsulated endoscope included in a variant;

FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 are concerned with the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 schematically shows the configuration of an encapsulatedendoscope in accordance with the second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 shows part of the internal configuration in a used state;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart describing the actions to be performed by thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 13 to FIG. 14C are concerned with the third embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 shows the configuration of a capsulated endoscope system inwhich the third embodiment of the present invention is implemented;

FIG. 14A to FIG. 14C are a longitudinal sectional view of the flank of acapsulated endoscope, a sectional view of the face thereof thatcorresponds to the left-hand side of the longitudinal sectional view,and a sectional view of the back thereof that corresponds to theright-hand side of the longitudinal sectional view;

FIG. 15 to FIG. 17 are concerned with the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 15 shows the configuration of a main unit of capsulated medicalequipment in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 16 shows the configuration of a main unit of capsulated medicalequipment in accordance with the first variant; and

FIG. 17 shows the configuration of a main unit of capsulated medicalequipment in accordance with the second variant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 1A to FIG. 9, the first embodiment of the presentinvention will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a capsulated endoscope system 1 in accordance withthe first embodiment of the present invention consists mainly of acapsulated endoscope 3 (that is a capsulated body) and an extracorporealunit 5 (placed away from the patient 2). The capsulated endoscope 3 isgulped down through the mouth of a patient 2, and transmits by radio animage signal that represents an optical image of the inner wall of anintracavitary duct while passing through the intracavitary duct. Theextracorporeal unit 5 receives the signal sent from the capsulatedendoscope 3 through an antenna unit 4 mounted on the extracorporealregion of the patient 2, and has a facility that preserves images.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the extracorporeal unit 5 is connected to apersonal computer 6 so that it can be disconnected freely. The personalcomputer 6 fetches an image preserved in the extracorporeal unit 5,saves the image in an internal hard disk thereof, or displays thepreserved image on a display device 7. A keyboard 8 to be used to enterdata is connected to the personal computer 6.

As shown in FIG. 1A, when endoscopic examination is performed with thecapsulated endoscope 3 gulped down, the antenna unit 4 composed of aplurality of antennas 11 is mounted on a garment 10 that is worn by thepatient 2. The capsulated endoscope 3 images an intracavitary region.The antenna unit 4 receives a signal transmitted through an antennaincorporated in the capsulated endoscope 3. A picked up image is thenpreserved in the extracorporeal unit 5 connected to the antenna unit 4.The extracorporeal unit 5 is mounted on, for example, a belt worn by thepatient 2 using a freely detachable hook.

The extracorporeal unit 5 is shaped like, for example, a box. A liquidcrystal monitor 12 that presents an image and a buzzer 13 that sounds awarning are mounted on the face of the extracorporeal unit 5.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the capsulated endoscope 3 is kept watertight whilebeing encapsulated in a transparent armor member 14 that is shaped likea cylinder whose both end portions are rounded substantially like ahemisphere and blocked, that is, shaped like a capsule. Within thetransparent armor member 14, an objective 15 that forms an image of anobject is located in the middle of one end portion that is an imagingside while being enclosed in a lens frame 16. A solid-state imagingdevice, for example, a CMOS imager 17 is located at the position of theimage plane of the objective 15.

Moreover, white light-emitting diodes (hereinafter white LEDs) 18 thatglow in white are placed as an illumination system around the objective15.

Moreover, for example, a control circuit (or processing circuit) 19, acommunication circuit 20, and button-shaped batteries 21 are locatedbehind the CMOS imager 17 while being placed inside a transparentcylindrical member 22 enclosed in the armor member 14. The controlcircuit 19 drives the white LEDs 18 so as to cause the white LEDs 18 toglow. Moreover, the control circuit 19 drives the CMOS imager 17 so asto produce an image signal representing an image picked up by the CMOSimager 17. The communication circuit 20 modulates the image signal toproduce a signal to be transmitted. The button-shaped batteries 21supply power to the circuits 19 and 20. An antenna 23 through which theimage signal is transmitted by radio and which is connected to thecommunication circuit 20 is located behind the button-shaped batteries21, that is, placed in the other hemispheric end portion.

FIG. 2B shows the electrical configuration of the capsulated endoscope 3shown in FIG. 2A. The control circuit 19 that acts in receipt of powersupplied from the batteries 21 allows the white LEDs 18 to glow. Thewhite illumination light is then emitted from the face of the capsulatedendoscope, whereby the inside of a body cavity through which thecapsulated endoscope 3 passes is illuminated.

An image of an illuminated region is formed by the objective 15adjoining the white LEDs 18, picked up by the CMOS imager 17, andphotoelectrically transformed. In response to a driving signal sent fromthe control circuit 19, the CMOS imager 17 transfers an electric signalresulting from photoelectric transform to the control circuit 19.Consequently, an image signal is produced. The communication circuit 20that acts in receipt of power supplied from the batteries 21 modulatesthe image signal. The resultant image signal is transmitted in the formof a radio wave to outside through the antenna 23.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the capsulated endoscope 3 is used to performendoscopic examination within, for example, the bowel, theextracorporeal unit 5 detects whether the capsulated endoscope 3 isclogged at a stenosed region 25. If the clogged state is detected, awarning is given.

The antennas 11 constituting the antenna unit 4 are connected to areceiver circuit 31 incorporated in the extracorporeal unit 5. Imagedata caught by the antennas 11, demodulated by the receiver circuit 31,and digitized is stored in an image memory 32, and transferred to aposition calculation circuit 33. The position calculation circuit 33 isconnected to a timer circuit 36 that is a timing means. A time instantat which image data is received can be referenced (measured).

The image data stored in the image memory 32 is processed in order todisplay an image via a display circuit 34. Consequently, a picked upimage is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 12.

Moreover, the position calculation circuit 33 calculates athree-dimensional position of the capsulated endoscope 3 by utilizingthe strength of a signal transferred from the receiver circuit 31. Theposition calculation circuit 33 transfers position information to theliquid crystal monitor 12 so as to indicate the position, and alsotransfers the position information to a position change calculationcircuit 35.

The position change calculation circuit 35 judges from positioninformation sent from the position calculation circuit whether there isa time-passing change in the position of the capsulated endoscope 3. Ifit is judged that the position has not changed, it is judged that thecapsulated endoscope 3 has halted at the stenosed region 25. A warningmessage is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 12, and a buzzer 13is sounded in order to give a warning.

The image memory 32 is connected to a hard disk 37. Image data providedas a signal having the largest amplitude among all image data itemsstored in the image memory 32 is preserved in the hard disk 37. Thepersonal computer 6 is connected to the hard disk 37 via a connector 38,and reads image data from the hard disk 37 via the connector 38, anddisplays an image on the display device 7.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram concerning the principles of positioncalculation to be performed by the position calculation circuit 33. FIG.4 shows the relationships of the capsulated endoscope 3 to the antennasconstituting the antenna unit 4 with the capsulated endoscope 3 locatedat an origin of three coordinate axes X, Y, and Z defined in athree-dimensional space.

A plurality of antennas constituting the antenna unit 4, or forbrevity's sake, three antennas 11 a, 11 b, and 11 c are located at knownpositions. Distances among the antennas are already known.

In the case shown in FIG. 4, the distances among the antennas includethe distance Dab between the antennas 11 a and 11 b, the distance Dbcbetween the antennas 11 b and 11 c, and the distance Dac between theantennas 11 a and 11 c.

A signal of certain strength is delivered in the form of a radio wavefrom the antenna 23 incorporated in the capsulated endoscope 3. Thestrengths of signals caught by the antennas 11 i (where i denotes a, b,or c) are provided as functions of the distances Li from (the antenna 23incorporated in) the capsulated endoscope 3.

Therefore, the position calculation circuit 33 detects the strengths ofsignals received through the antennas 11 i and calculates the distancesLi to the (antenna 23 incorporated in) the capsulated endoscope 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing a sequence of actions to be performedfor giving a warning in case the capsulated endoscope 3 is clogged atthe stenosed region 25 shown in FIG. 3.

When the sequence is started, the capsulated endoscope 3 illuminates andimages an intracavitary region in short cycles, for example, atintervals (in cycles) of 0.5 sec. A picked up image is manipulated bythe control circuit 19 and communication circuit 20 and radiated in theform of a radio wave at intervals of 0.5 sec to outside through theantenna 23.

The radio wave is received through the antennas 11 constituting theantenna unit 4 at step S1, whereby an image is received by theextracorporeal unit 5. Specifically, the receiver circuit 31incorporated in the extracorporeal unit 5 receives the radio wavethrough the antennas 11 constituting the antenna unit 4 and demodulatesit. At step S2, the image is then stored in the image memory 32 andtransferred to the position calculation circuit 33.

The position calculation circuit 33 performs position calculation, andtransmits position information together with time information providedby the timer circuit 36 to the position change calculation circuit 35.The position change calculation circuit 35 compares positions, which aredetected for an appropriately short period of time, with each otherusing the time information and position information. To be morespecific, at step S3, a position at which the capsulated endoscope 3picks up the latest image is compared with a position at which thecapsulated endoscope 3 has picked up an image 5 sec previously.Incidentally, the timer circuit 36 may transmit the time informationdirectly to the position change calculation circuit 35.

The position change calculation circuit 35 judges from the result ofposition comparison whether the change in the position of the capsulatedendoscope 3 is equal to or smaller than a pre-set threshold (step S4).

If it is judged that the change in the position of the capsulatedendoscope 3 is larger than the threshold, it is judged that thecapsulated endoscope 3 has moved. Control is then returned to step S1.The processing from step S1 to step S4 is then repeated. If the changein the position is equal to or smaller than the threshold, the positionchange calculation circuit 35 judges whether the change in the positionequal to or smaller than the threshold has been detected a set number oftimes, for example, ten or more consecutive times.

If it is judged that the above condition is not met, it is judged thatthe endoscope has not halted. Control is then returned to step S1, andthe processing from step S1 to step S5 is repeated. In contrast, if thecondition is met, that is, if the change in the position equal to orsmaller than the threshold has been detected, for example, ten or moreconsecutive times, it is judged at step S6 that the endoscope hashalted. At step S7, a warning action is performed based on the judgmentof the halted state.

To be more specific, a message saying that the endoscope has halted isdisplayed on the liquid crystal monitor 12, and the buzzer 13 is soundedin order to give a warning. In this case, a staff member of anendoscopic laboratory takes measures immediately. That is to say, thestaff member may insert, for example, an elongated endoscope through themouth of the patient 2 so as to collect the capsulated endoscope 3.Otherwise, the staff member may dilate the stenosed region 25 so as toallow the capsulated endoscope 3 to pass it.

As mentioned above, the present embodiment includes a detecting meansfor detecting whether the capsulated endoscope 3 has halted for apredetermined period of time. If the capsulated endoscope 3 has haltedat the stenosed region 25 or the like, the state can be recognizedimmediately because it is notified with a message displayed. Moreover,measures can be taken immediately in order to overcome the state.

In addition to the display of the warning message on the liquid crystalmonitor 12 and the sounding of the buzzer, an LED may be lit orflickered in order to give a warning (notification).

Moreover, if the capsulated endoscope 3 is clogged at the stenosedregion 25, a permanent magnet 61 or the like shown in FIG. 14Aconcerning the third embodiment that will be described later may beincorporated in order to overcome the clogged state.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of an extracorporeal unit 5B employed ina variant. The extracorporeal unit 5B shown in FIG. 6 is different fromthe extracorporeal unit shown in FIG. 3 in a point that image datastored in the image memory 32 is transferred to an image changecalculation circuit 39. The image change calculation circuit 39 isconnected to the timer circuit 36, and judges from a degree of agreementof images data items acquired at time instants separated by apredetermined time whether the position of the capsulated endoscope 3has changed or the capsulated endoscope 3 has halted. If it is judgedthat the capsulated endoscope 3 has halted, the fact is notified.

The other components are identical to those shown in FIG. 3.

Operations to be exerted by the extracorporeal unit 5B shown in FIG. 6will be described in conjunction with the flowchart of FIG. 7. Accordingto FIG. 7, similarly to FIG. 5, an image is received through theplurality of antennas 11 at step S11. At step S12, image data is storedin the image memory 32. Image data provided as a signal of the largeststrength among all image data items stored in the image memory issequentially transferred to the hard disk 37.

At the next step S13, the image change calculation circuit 39 fetchesthe latest image stored in the image memory 32 and an image storedlittle earlier in the hard disk 37, for example, the latest image and animage acquired 5 sec previously. The image change calculation circuit 39then superposes the latest image on the previous image.

At the next step S14, the image change calculation circuit 39 calculatesa degree of agreement of the latest image with the previous image. Forexample, the absolute value of a difference between the levels ofsignals representing corresponding pixels of the images superposed oneach other is integrated time-sequentially. Thus, the degree ofagreement of one image with another can be calculated.

At the next step S15, the image change calculation circuit 39 judgeswhether the degree of agreement is equal to or larger than a threshold,for example, 80%.

If it is judged that the degree of agreement is smaller than 80%, it isjudged that the capsulated endoscope 3 is moving. Control is thenreturned to step S11. The processing from step S11 to step S15 isrepeated. In constant, if it is judged at step S15 that the degree ofagreement is equal to or larger than 80%, it is judged at step S16whether the degree of agreement equal to or larger than 80% has beendetected ten consecutive times.

If it is judged that the degree of agreement equal to or larger than 80%has been detected less than ten times, it is judged that the endoscopehas not halted. Control is then returned to step S11. In contrast, ifthe degree of agreement equal to or larger than 80% has been detectedten consecutive times, it is judged at step S17 that the endoscope hashalted. At step S18, a warning message is displayed on the liquidcrystal monitor 12 and the buzzer 13 is sounded for notification.

Moreover, in the capsulated endoscope 3 included in the presentembodiment, if the batteries 21 incorporated in the capsulated endoscope3 cause, for example, a fluid leakage 40, the fluid leakage 40 can bediscerned through the transparent armor member 14 and transparentcylindrical member 22. Therefore, it can be avoided that the capsulatedendoscope 3 is gulped down.

The related arts have a drawback that if a fluid leakage, moistureinvasion, or the like occurs within a capsulated endoscope, unless thecapsulated endoscope is disassembled, the fact cannot be verified.Therefore, an object of the present invention has been determined tomake it possible to discern the fluid leakage, moisture invasion, or thelike by externally looking at a main unit of a capsulated medical systemsuch as the capsulated endoscope without the necessity of disassemblingthe capsulated endoscope. The present invention has accomplished theobject.

Unlike the capsulated endoscope 3, like a capsulated endoscope 3Bemployed in a variant, a means that changes its colors when sensing afluid leakage or the like caused by the batteries 22 and that thusinforms a patient or the like of the fact, for example, litmus paper 41may be, as shown in FIG. 9, placed inside the transparent cylindricalmember 22.

Incidentally, the cylindrical member 22 may not be employed. Instead,the litmus paper 41 or any other means that chemically reacts on a fluidleaking out of the batteries 22 to change its colors and whose colorchange can be readily discerned from outside may be placed inside thetransparent armor member 14.

Second Embodiment

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIG. 10 to FIG. 12. An object of the presentembodiment is to provide capsulated medical equipment having a featureof detecting clogging of a capsulated body (a capsulated endoscope 3C inthe present embodiment) in an early stage, and of automaticallyunclogging the capsulated body. FIG. 10 shows the capsulated endoscope3C employed in the second embodiment.

The capsulated endoscope 3C is different from the capsulated endoscope 3employed in the first embodiment in a point that the capsulatedendoscope 3C has a plurality of pressure sensors 43 located on theperiphery of a portion thereof having the largest diameter. Moreover, (astator) of a pager motor (vibrating motor) 44 that is compact andvibrates is locked in the capsulated endoscope at the opposite end ofthe capsulated endoscope relative to the objective 15. The motor 44 isdriven by a motor driver 45 as shown in FIG. 11.

The pager motor 44 is produced by attaching a member, of which center ofgravity is made eccentric as if it were a cylinder having part thereofcut off, to the axis of rotation of an ordinary motor. When the pagermotor is rotated, the motor 44 entirely vibrates because the center ofgravity is eccentric to the axis of rotation. This causes the capsulatedendoscope 3C, in which the pager motor is locked, to vibrate.

Moreover, the motor driver 45 receives pressure signals sent from thepressure sensors 43. When any of the pressure signals assumes a levelequal to or higher than a set level (threshold in FIG. 12), the motordriver 45 drives the motor 44. Namely, the motor driver 45 not only hasthe ability to drive the motor 44 but also has the ability to judgewhether the level of the pressure signal sent from any of the pressuresensors 43 is equal to or higher than the set value.

The other components are almost identical to those of the firstembodiment. (For brevity's sake, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show only the majorcomponents of the present embodiment.)

According to the first embodiment, the extracorporeal unit 5 detectswhether the capsulated endoscope 3 that is a capsulated body has haltedfor a certain period of time (however, a signal used for detection issent from the capsulated endoscope 3). According to the presentembodiment, the capsulated endoscope 3C itself has the detectingability.

Next, operations to be exerted by the present embodiment will bedescribed with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 12.

When the capsulated endoscope 3C starts acting, imaging is performed. Atstep S21, the pressure sensors 43 detect a pressure. Signalsrepresenting detected pressure values are transferred to the motordriver 45. The motor driver 45 fetches the signals, which represent thedetected pressure values, one by one at intervals of, for example, 5sec.

At step S22, the motor driver 45 judges whether outputs of two or moresensors exceed a pre-set threshold. If it is judged that the outputs oftwo or more sensors do not exceed the threshold, it is judged that theendoscope has not been clogged to halt. Control is then returned to stepS21.

In contrast, if the outputs of two or more sensors exceed the threshold,control is passed to step S23. The motor driver 45 judges whether theoutputs of two or more sensors exceeding the threshold have beendetected ten consecutive times. If the outputs of two or more sensorsexceeding the threshold have been detected less than nine times, controlis returned to step S21.

In contrast, if it is judged that the outputs of two or more sensorsexceeding the threshold have been detected ten consecutive times, themotor driver 45 judges that the capsulated endoscope 3C has halted atthe stenosed region 25 and that pressure has been imposed on thecapsulated endoscope as shown in step S23.

At step S25, the pager motor 44 is driven. The capsulated endoscope 3Cvibrates when the pager motor 44 is driven. Consequently, the capsulatedendoscope 3C may be unclogged from the stenosed region 25. Thereafter,control is returned to step S21.

After the completion of step S25, the number of times by which the pagermotor 44 is repeatedly driven is measured. If the number of timesbecomes equal to or larger than a set value, the fact that the endoscopehas halted may be informed outside.

According to the present embodiment, when the capsulated endoscope hashalted, the pager motor 44 is driven. Even when the capsulated endoscopehas halted at the stenosed region 25, if the capsulated endoscope 3C isvibrated, the capsulated endoscope 3C can be often unclogged from thestenosed region 25.

According to the present embodiment, the outputs of the pressure sensors43 are transferred to the motor driver 45. The action of the pager motor44 is controlled based on the outputs of the plurality of pressuresensors 43. This constituent feature of the present embodiment may becombined with that of the first embodiment.

To be more specific, the pager motor 44 and motor driver 45 areincorporated in the capsulated endoscope employed in the firstembodiment.

As for the actions of the capsulated endoscope, an action of actuatingthe pager motor 44 is added as a step succeeding step S6 in FIG. 5.After the pager motor 44 is actuated, the position change calculationcircuit 35 detects a change in the position of the capsulated endoscope.If a change in the position is detected, control is returned to step S1.If no change in the position is detected, control is passed to step S7.A warning may then be given.

In this case, if the capsulated endoscope can be unclogged to pass thestenosed region 25 owing to the action of the pager motor 44, it becomesunnecessary to collect the capsulated endoscope because of the stenosedregion 25.

Moreover, when the capsulated endoscope is combined with theextracorporeal unit 5B shown in FIG. 6, an action of actuating the pagermotor 44 may be added as a step succeeding step S17 in FIG. 7.

Third Embodiment

Next, the third embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. FIG. 13 shows a capsulatedendoscope system 51 in accordance with the third embodiment. The system51 consists mainly of a capsulated endoscope 3D, an extracorporeal unit52, a personal computer 53, an actuator control circuit 54, actuators 55a and 55 b, and electromagnets 56 a and 56 b. The extracorporeal unit 52preserves image data produced by the capsulated endoscope 3D andcalculates the position of the capsulated endoscope 3D. The personalcomputer 53 is connected to the extracorporeal unit 52. The actuatorcontrol circuit 54 is connected to the personal computer 53. Theactuators 55 a and 55 b are driven with a driving signal sent from theactuator control circuit 54. The electromagnets 56 a and 56 b arethree-dimensionally moved with thrusts produced by the actuators 55 aand 55 b respectively.

The capsulated endoscope 3D has the components thereof arranged as shownin FIG. 14A to FIG. 14C. Incidentally, FIG. 14A is a sectional viewshowing the components on A-A planes shown in FIG. 14B.

The capsulated endoscope 3D is different from the capsulated endoscope 3shown in FIG. 2 in a point that permanent magnets 61 and 62 are placedat the front and rear end portions thereof. The permanent magnets 61that are made of a rare earth element or compound such as neodymium orsamarium cobalt and that produce large magnetic forces are arrangedamong a plurality of white LEDs 18 locked in the front end portion. Thepermanent magnet 62 is locked adjacently to the antenna 23 in the rearend portion.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the electromagnets 56 a and 56 b areexternally three-dimensionally approached to the capsulated endoscope3D, the capsulated endoscope 3D can be moved three-dimensionally owingto the magnetic forces.

Moreover, the extracorporeal unit 52 is different from, for example, theextracorporeal unit 5 shown in FIG. 3 in a point that position dataproduced by the position calculation circuit 33 and image data stored inthe image memory 32 can be transferred to the personal computer 53 (forexample, the extracorporeal unit 52 includes dedicated connectors).

As shown in FIG. 13, with the extracorporeal unit 52 connected to a body53 a of the personal computer 53, image data preserved in theextracorporeal unit 52 and position data indicating a position at whichthe capsulated endoscope has picked up the image represented by theimage data are transferred to the personal computer body 53 a. The imagedata is stored in association with the position data in the hard diskincorporated in the personal computer body 53 a. In this case, datarepresenting a time instant is also stored in association with the imagedata.

When, for example, a keyboard 53 c is used to enter an instruction thata trajectory should be displayed, a CPU incorporated in the body 53 areads position data items, which represent positions at which thecapsulated endoscope 3D has picked up an image, in time-passing order.Based on the position data, a trajectory along which the capsulatedendoscope 3D has moved is three-dimensionally depicted. The trajectory57 along which the capsulated endoscope 3D has moved may be displayed ona monitor 53 b.

Moreover, when the keyboard 53 c is used to enter an instruction thatthe capsulated endoscope 3D should trace the trajectory 57, the personalcomputer 53 controls the actuator control circuit 54 to control drivingof the actuators 55 a and 55 b and driving of the electromagnets 56 aand 56 b. Thus, the capsulated endoscope 3D can be guided to trace thetrajectory 57 as instructed by utilizing magnetic forces.

Operations to be exerted by the present embodiment will be described inrelation to a case where the capsulated endoscope 3D is, as shown inFIG. 13, used to examine an intracorporeal region.

The capsulated endoscope 3D gulped down through the patient's mouthpasses through the esophagus and the stomach 58 and moves to the smallintestine 59. In the meantime, an image picked up by the capsulatedendoscope 3D is modulated and radiated in the form of a radio wavethrough the antenna 22. The radio wave is received by the extracorporealunit 52 through the antennas 11 constituting the antenna unit 4.

In the extracorporeal unit 52, image data modulated by the receivercircuit 31 is stored in the image memory 32, and the positioncalculation circuit 33 calculates the position of the capsulatedendoscope. The image data and position data are also transferred to thepersonal computer 53.

In the personal computer 53, the image data and position data (and timeinstant data) are preserved in the hard disk. For example, when thekeyboard 53 c is used to enter an instruction that a trajectory shouldbe displayed, the trajectory 57 is three-dimensionally displayed on themonitor 53 b using software, which displays a trajectorythree-dimensionally, according to the position data concerning thecapsulated endoscope 3D.

Moreover, as described in relation to the first embodiment, theextracorporeal unit 52 receives image data produced by the capsulatedendoscope 3D through the plurality of antennas 11, and calculates achange in the position of the capsulated endoscope. When the capsulatedendoscope 3D halts at the stenosed region 25 in, for example, the smallintestine 59 and stops advancing, a message is displayed on the liquidcrystal monitor 12. Moreover, the buzzer 13 is sounded in order tonotify a user of the fact.

In this state, an endoscopic laboratory staff member uses the keyboard53 c to enter an instruction that the capsulated endoscope 3D shouldtrace the trajectory 57. Consequently, the personal computer 53 controlsthe actuator control circuit 54 so that the electromagnets 56 a and 56 bheld at the tips of the actuators 55 a and 55 b will be movedthree-dimensionally in order to cause the capsulated endoscope 3D totrace the trajectory 57. Moreover, the magnitudes of magnetic forcesexerted by the electromagnets 56 a and 56 b, and a direction ofexcitation are controlled so that the capsulated endoscope 3D interposedbetween the electromagnets 56 a and 56 b will be guided to trace thetrajectory.

When the capsulated endoscope 3D is guided to, for example, the stomach58, an endoscope that is not shown is inserted in order to collect thecapsulated endoscope 3D.

According to the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment,whether the capsulated endoscope 3D has halted can be detectedimmediately. If the capsulated endoscope 3D has halted, magnetic forcesare exerted in order to guide the capsulated endoscope 3D to a region inwhich the capsulated endoscope can be collected easily.

The present embodiment has been described on the assumption that thecapsulated endoscope having halted at the stenosed region 25 ismagnetically guided and then collected. Alternatively, the magneticguidance may be utilized in order to, for example, facilitate movement.

Moreover, when the capsulated endoscope halts at the stenosed region 25,magnetic forces may be acted in a direction in which the capsulatedendoscope is moved in order to pass the stenosed region 25. If thecapsulated endoscope fails to pass the stenosed region 25, thecapsulated endoscope may be traced in a direction in which it is movedin order to be collected.

Moreover, when the capsulated endoscope 3D has halted, an endoscope thatis not shown is inserted into, for example, the stomach 58. An elongatedcollection tube lying through a channel within the endoscope isprojected farther. A magnet may be attached to the tip of the collectiontube and approached to the capsulated endoscope 3D, whereby thecapsulated endoscope 3D attracted with magnetic forces may be manuallyguided to the stomach 58.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 shows a main unit 111 of a capsulatedmedical system in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

The main unit 111 of the capsulated medical system has a capsulated body112 kept watertight and composed of a cylindrical part and covers thatcover both the end portions of the cylindrical part. A detector, forexample, a pH sensor 113 for detecting a pH value is adopted as a meansfor detecting biomedical information concerning an intracavitary region,and projected (or exposed) from one of the end portions.

When the detector that is the pH sensor 113 is designed to jut out of ahole bored in the capsulated body 112, the detector is fixed using anadhesive that exerts a great effect of watertightness. Thus, thecapsulated endoscope is kept watertight.

The rear end of the pH sensor 113 is connected to a circuit board 114lying within the capsulated body 112. The circuit board 114 accommodatesa means for detecting a pH value, a means in which pH data is stored, acommunicating means that transmits pH data to an extracorporeal unitlocated outside, and an antenna. Moreover, the circuit board 114 isconnected to a battery 115 that supplies power with which the circuitboard 114 is activated.

Moreover, according to the present embodiment, a permanent magnet (or aferromagnetic substance) 116 is placed near the end portion of thecapsulated body 112 opposite to the end portion thereof in which the pHsensor 113 is placed, so that the main unit 111 can be collected readilyby utilizing magnetic forces.

An extracorporeal unit included in the capsulated medical system inaccordance with the present embodiment is different from theextracorporeal unit 5 included in the first embodiment in a point that asignal demodulated by the receiver circuit 31 is transferred to a pHmemory but not to the image memory 32, and preserved in the pH memory.

As described in relation to, for example, the first embodiment, if it isjudged that the main unit has halted, if a warning is given, the mainunit can be moved to a region in which the main unit can be readilycollected using a magnetically guiding assembly shown in FIG. 13.

According to the present embodiment, the pH sensor 113 for detecting apH value is adopted as a biomedical information examining means foracquiring biomedical information that is used for medical purpose.Alternatively, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor,or a blood sensor (more particularly, a hemoglobin detection sensor) maybe adopted.

According to the present embodiment, the sensor (detector) acquiresinformation such as a chemical quantity (pH value) concerning anintracorporeal fluid, temperature of each organ, pressure imposed on theouter surface of a capsulated body by the inner surface of a lumenthrough which the capsulated body passes, brightness in a living body,or an amount of hemoglobin in each organ (bleeding or not). Theinformation is temporarily stored in a memory, which is not shown,incorporated in the capsulated body. Thereafter, a communicating meansthat is not shown transmits the data to a receiving means incorporatedin an extracorporeal unit placed outside.

Consequently, the acquired data received by the receiving means iscompared with a reference value. Thus, a physician, co-medical, orparamedic can judge in vitro whether an illness, bleeding, or anyabnormality is found, or can identify a position through which a capsulehas passed or a state in which the capsule has passed.

In particular, the capsulated medical system makes it possible tomeasure a pH value in the alimentary track of a living body or an amountof hemoglobin without giving a subject any pain. This is quiteadvantageous in terms of assessment or physiological analysis of adisease of an alimentary organ. If a plurality of types of sensors isincluded based on a purpose of use, examination can be achievedefficiently.

The main unit 111 of the capsulated medical system including varioussensors has been described in conjunction with FIG. 15. An ultrasonicprobe 142 for use in producing an ultrasonic image may be, as shown inFIG. 16, included on behalf of the various sensors, whereby a main unit141 of a capsulated medical system may be realized.

In the main unit 141 of the capsulated medical system, an acoustic lens144 serving as the face of the ultrasonic probe 142 is formed on theface of a capsulated body 143 so that the acoustic lens 144 will beexposed on the outer surface of the capsulated body 143. The acousticlens 144 is secured to the capsulated body 143 using an adhesive inorder to keep the capsulated body watertight. Thus, the capsulated body143 is kept watertight.

Numerous ultrasonic transducer elements 145 required for electronicscanning are arranged on the inner surface of the acoustic lens 144included in the ultrasonic probe 142. A circuit board 114 is locatedbehind the acoustic lens. The circuit board accommodates an ultrasoundtransmitting/receiving circuit for transmitting or receiving ultrasonicwaves and a circuit for producing an ultrasonic tomographic image usinga signal sent from the ultrasound transmitting/receiving circuit. Thecircuit board 114 is driven with power supplied from a battery 115.Moreover, a permanent magnet 116 is placed in the rear end portion ofthe main unit 141.

In the main unit 141 of the capsulated medical system, the ultrasoundtransmitting/receiving circuit accommodated by the circuit board 114produces an ultrasonic tomographic image of an intracavitary region.Similarly to the first embodiment, acquired data is transmitted to anextracorporeal unit. This enables assessment of the presence or absenceof an abnormality in a direction of depth in a deep portion of a bodycavity, such as, the small intestine.

An optical observation means (imaging means) may also be included. Inthis case, the superficial region and deep region of a body cavity canbe diagnosed at a time.

FIG. 17 shows a main unit 131 of a capsulated medical system inaccordance with the second variant.

The main unit 131 of the capsulated medical system has a capsulated body132 composed of a cylinder portion and covers that cover both the endsof the cylinder portion in an arc. An opening 133 is bored in one of theend portions of the capsulated body 132 so that, for example, aninjector 134 to be used to administer a medicine can be freely thrust orsunk through the opening. A driving means for causing the medicineadministration injector 134 to thrust or sink and a control means forcontrolling the driving means are incorporated in the capsulated body132. In response to a control signal sent from outside, the medicineadministration injector 134 is thrust or sunk in order to administer amedicine. Moreover, a signal of certain strength is delivered from anantenna incorporated in the main unit 131 to an extracorporeal unitlocated outside so that the position of the main unit 131 of thecapsulated medical system can be calculated.

A permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic substance 135 is placed near theend opposite to the end of the capsulated body 132 at which the opening133 is bored.

A blood sensor or an observation means is used to identify a bleedingregion. Thereafter, a treatment appliance such as an injector that isused to administer a hemostatic agent and placed in the capsulated bodyis instructed to move through communication with an external device.Thus, ethanol that is a hemostatic agent or a powdered chemical can besprayed to the bleeding region in order to arrest bleeding.

According to the present variant, hemostasis or any other treatment canbe carried out.

The present variant may be adapted to a capsulated medical system forspraying a medical solution into a living body or collecting a humor.

Incidentally, an embodiment constructed by combining parts of theaforesaid embodiments will belong to the present invention.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings so far. It will beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the embodimentsbut that a person skilled in the art can make various changes ormodifications without a departure from the spirit or scope of theinvention defined in the appended claims.

1. A capsulated medical equipment comprising: a capsulated body adaptedto be inserted into a subject, the capsulated body comprising: abiomedical information detecting unit adapted to obtain biomedicalinformation about the subject, a communication device adapted tomodulate the biomedical information into a signal to be transmitted, andan antenna for transmitting the signal to outside of the subject; and areceiver located outside of the subject and adapted to be carried by thesubject, the receiver comprising: an extracorporeal antenna unit adaptedto receive the signal transmitted from the antenna of the capsulatedbody, a demodulation unit adapted to demodulate the received signal tocreate a biomedical information data of the subject; a first storagedevice adapted to store the biomedical information data, a first displayfor displaying information, a position calculation section adapted tocalculate a three-dimensional position of the capsulated body based onthe strength of the received signal, and a position change calculationunit adapted to calculate a change in three-dimensional position of thecapsulated body over time, to judge whether the calculated change inthree-dimensional position over time is equal to or smaller than apre-set threshold, and if the calculated change in three-dimensionalposition over time is judged to be equal to or smaller than the pre-setthreshold, to instruct the first display to display a warning message;wherein the first storage device is connectable to a second storagedevice which stores therein the biomedical information data and which isconnected to a second display for displaying the biomedical informationdata read from the second storage device.
 2. The equipment according toclaim 1, wherein the first storage device is carried by the subject byusing a holder which is worn by the patient.
 3. The equipment accordingto claim 2, wherein the first storage device is separately carried bythe subject with respect to the extracorporeal antenna unit.
 4. Theequipment according to claim 3, wherein the extracorporeal antenna unitincludes a plurality of antennae.
 5. The equipment according to claim 3,wherein the extracorporeal antenna unit is provided on a wearablegarment.
 6. The equipment according to claim 2, wherein the biomedicalinformation detecting unit includes an image pickup device for obtainingan image inside of the subject and the image is transmitted to theoutside of the subject by a radio signal.
 7. The equipment according toclaim 2, wherein the receiver demodulates the signal to create an imagedata of the image, and the image data is stored in the first storagedevice.
 8. The equipment according to claim 7, wherein the informationdisplayed on the first display includes the image.
 9. The equipmentaccording to claim 8, wherein the receiver and the first storage unitare placed in an extracorporeal unit to which the extracorporeal antennaunit is connected, and the extracorporeal unit is held by the holder.10. The equipment according to claim 9, wherein the display is providedon the extracorporeal unit.
 11. The equipment according to claim 7,wherein the information displayed on the first display includes theposition information of the capsulated body.
 12. The equipment accordingto claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the first displayincludes status of the capsulated body.
 13. The equipment according toclaim 12, wherein the biomedical information detecting unit includes animage pickup device for obtaining an image inside of the subject and thereceiver demodulates the signal to create an image data of the image,and the image data is stored in the first storage device.
 14. Theequipment according to claim 13, further comprising an image changecalculating portion which compares the image data acquired at apredetermined time interval tc determine a degree of agreement of theimage data, and wherein the information displayed on the first displayincludes the status of the capsulated body that is assumed by thecomparison.
 15. A capsulated medical equipment comprising: a capsulatedbody adapted to be introduced into a subject, the capsulated bodycomprising: an image pickup device adapted to obtain an image inside ofthe subject, a communication device adapted to modulate information onthe image obtained by the image pickup device into a signal to betransmitted, and an antenna for transmitting the signal to outside ofthe subject; and a reception system located outside of the subject, thereception system comprising: a signal processor for receiving anddemodulating the signal transmitted from the antenna of the capsulatedbody to create image data of the image, a first storage device adaptedto store the image data produced by the signal processor, a firstdisplay for displaying information obtained based on the output signalfrom the capsulated body, a connector for connecting the first storagedevice to a computer having a second storage device capable of storingtherein the image data of the image and a second display for displayingthe image, a position calculation section adapted to calculate athree-dimensional position of the capsulated body based on the strengthof the signal transmitted from the antenna of the capsulated body, and aposition change calculation section adapted to calculate a change inthree-dimensional position of the capsulated body over time, to judgewhether the calculated change in three-dimensional position over time isequal to or smaller than a pre-set threshold, and if the calculatedchange in three-dimensional position over time is judged to be equal toor smaller than the pre-set threshold, to instruct the first display todisplay a warning message.
 16. The equipment according to claim 15,wherein the information includes the image obtained by the image pickupdevice.
 17. The equipment according to claim 16, wherein anextracorporeal unit constituting the reception system is placed on theperiphery of the subject by using a holder worn by the subject, and thefirst display is provided on a face of the extracorporeal unit.
 18. Theequipment according to claim 16, wherein an extracorporeal unitconstituting the reception system is placed on the periphery of thesubject by using a holder worn by the subject and further comprises abuzzer that sounds a warning for notifying a user of a predeterminedevent.
 19. The equipment according to claim 15, wherein the informationincludes status of the capsulated body.
 20. The equipment according toclaim 19, wherein the status displayed on the first display includes ahalt of the capsulated body in the patient that is assumed based on adegree of agreement among a plurality of images.
 21. The equipmentaccording to claim 19, wherein the status displayed on the first displayincludes a halt of the capsulated body that is assumed based on theposition information of the capsulated body calculated by the positioncalculating section.
 22. The equipment according to claim 15, whereinthe information displayed on the first display includes the positioninformation of the capsulated body.
 23. The equipment according to claim15, wherein the signal processor is connectable to an antenna unit whichis placed on extracorporeal region of the subject to receive the signaloutputted from the capsulated body.
 24. A reception system for acapsulated medical equipment comprising: a signal processor forreceiving and demodulating a signal transmitted to outside of a subjectfrom a capsulated body that is adapted to be introduced into the subjectand that has an image pickup device adapted to obtain an image inside ofthe subject, to produce an image data of the image, the signal processorbeing able to be carried by the subject; a first storage device adaptedto store the image data produced by the signal processor; a firstdisplay for displaying information obtained based on the signaloutputted from the capsulated body; a connector for connecting the firststorage device to a second storage device capable of storing therein theimage data, the second storage device being connected to a seconddisplay which can display the image based on the image data read fromthe second storage device a position calculation section adapted tocalculate a three-dimensional position of the capsulated body based onthe strength of the signal transmitted from the capsulated body; and aposition change calculation section adapted to calculate a change inthree-dimensional position of the capsulated body over time, to judgewhether the calculated change in three-dimensional position over time isequal to or smaller than a pre-set threshold, and if the calculatedchange in three-dimensional position over time is judged to be equal toor smaller than the pre-set threshold, to instruct the first display todisplay a warning message.
 25. The system according to claim 24, whereinthe signal processor and the first storage device are placed in anextracorporeal unit which is held by using a holder worn by the subject.26. The system according to claim 25, further comprising a buzzer thatsounds a warning for notifying a user of a predetermined event.
 27. Thesystem according to claim 24, wherein the information displayed on thefirst display includes the image.
 28. The system according to claim 27,wherein the information displayed on the first display includes theposition information of the capsulated body.
 29. The system according toclaim 24, wherein the information displayed on the first displayincludes status of the capsulated body.
 30. The system according toclaim 29, further comprising an image change calculating portion whichis provided in the extracorporeal unit and which compares the image dataacquired at predetermined time interval to determine a degree ofagreement of the image data, and wherein the status that the capsulatedbody is assumed based on the comparison by the image change calculatingportion.
 31. A reception system for a capsulated medical equipmentcomprising: a signal processor for receiving and demodulating a signaltransmitted to outside of a subject from a capsulated body that isadapted to be introduced into the subject and that has an image pickupdevice adapted to obtain an image inside of the subject, to produce animage data of the image, the signal processor being held in place on thesubject; a first storage device adapted to store the image data producedby the signal processor and to be held in place on the subject; a buzzerfor notifying a user of a predetermined event; a connector forconnecting the first storage device to a second storage device capableof storing therein the image data, the second storage device beingconnected to a display on which the image based on the image data readfrom the second storage device can be displayed a position calculationsection adapted to calculate a three-dimensional position of thecapsulated body based on the strength of the signal transmitted from thecapsulated body; and a position change calculation section adapted tocalculate a change in three-dimensional position of the capsulated bodyover time, to judge whether the calculated change in three-dimensionalposition over time is equal to or smaller than a pre-set threshold, andif the calculated change in three-dimensional position over time isjudged to be equal to or smaller than the pre-set threshold, to instructto notify a warning message by the buzzer.
 32. The system according toclaim 31, wherein the signal processor and the first storage device areplaced in an extracorporeal unit which is held by using a holder worn bythe subject.
 33. The system according to claim 32, further comprising animage change calculating portion which is provided in the extracorporealunit and which compares the image data acquired at predetermined timeinterval to determine a degree of agreement of the image data, andwherein the buzzer notifies the user that the capsulated body is at ahalt which is assumed based on the comparison by the image changecalculating portion.